Masquerade
by crazylego
Summary: Your name is Dave Strider, and you've liked this nerdy kid since the third grade. The problem with this? You're too cool, and the kid is another boy. (A little hammertime drabble for a friend who was feeling crappy. Please R&R!)


**Masquerade**

Your name is Dave Strider and wow do you love this other kid.

You've liked this kid since the third grade, but you never said anything about it. You were a boy, after all, and you'd be teased for liking another boy.

But he was just so perfect! His dark brown hair, his glittery blue eyes, how he could never quite close his mouth because of his buck teeth. He was so nerdy and outlandish while you were always so cool and reserved, and whenever you looked at him you felt your heart leap in your chest.

Did he even notice you?

Well, of course he did. You were the coolest kid in the entire, at least, that's how everyone acted; everyone knew you. There were lots of girls who asked, in their cheery, childish voices, "Will you be my boyfriend?" You always denied. They never cried, though. You knew that they wouldn't. Most of them probably didn't know what a boyfriend really even was.

Oh, how you wished that boy would ask you, instead of just girls you didn't even know. He probably wouldn't even be embarrassed to ask another boy. He never seemed to catch on to what societal norms were, and he never even really seemed to notice the blatant teasing the other kids threw at him on a daily basis.

Part of you thought, and still does think, that that's why you loved (and still do love) him so much. While you conformed to normality and even went so far as to set the standard for it, he never cared about any of that. He was unafraid, unabashed, unashamed to be himself. Another flutter in your heart.

Even now in eighth grade, while everyone has grown to cliques, he stands alone as an individual. Even though he never grew out of playing pretend, he never pretended to be someone he wasn't.

Recently, you got up the nerve to go talk to him. You decided to befriend this extraordinary boy, this dorky, gangly kid who you had fallen for deeper and deeper with every passing glance. Your ears were flushed. Your mouth was dry.

You swallowed and began to speak.

Fumbling words erupted from your mouth, hardly sticking to the beat you set to go with your racing heart. And still you found your cool once more, a line into the rap you wrote him, eyes shut tight behind your shades. You were determined not to forget a single word, you were sure that today you would finally tell him, you would not mess this up. You would not let him see your screaming nerves.

"it seems youve never noticed me

but oh ive noticed you

and whenever i see you

i wish id never followed rules

i would run around the world and back

no stopping through and through

because john egbert id do anything for you

i dont think it matters

if its ever frowned upon

i dont want to abscond

every minute your not with me is only another minute sadder

hearts been pounding since the third grade

my life would be made

dont expect you to reciprocate but i really hope you do"

A sickening moment of silence passed as the very definition of perfection in front of you blinked once, twice, three times. The tension of impending rejection was so thick in the air that you could smell it over the foul stench of cafeteria gruel. All the noise of the lunchroom was tuned out, the only sounds in your mind being a low ring, John's breathing, and your voice of reason screeching at you for your latest little stunt. John's angelic eyes were wide, blinking in disbelief, and his porcelain lips parted as if he were about to speak. Your heart gave a painful ache. Here came the crushing feeling of 'no.'

But you heard nothing.

In fact, the only sensation was something soft against your lips. It remained unprocessed in your brain until you saw John's tiny eyelashes, covering up those magical eyes of his.

Warmth spread through your heart, replacing the brutal anticipation, the anxiety and fear of being left heartbroken.

John Egbert was kissing you.

And with a blush painting your cheeks, you kissed back: sweetly and uncaring of the spectators surrounding you.

Because for once you felt like you didn't need to pretend.


End file.
